Learning Agility: How to Become a Learning Ninja

Given the speed of business, the ever-evolving ‘new normal’,
and the fact that the only thing that’s constant is change… the ability to
learn nimbly, quickly and eternally is a minimum requirement for most jobs
today. The half-life of knowledge grows
increasingly short while complexity and ambiguity loom large. And stellar
performers across industries and sectors understand that the skills and
abilities that got them where they are today may be woefully inadequate when
they wake up tomorrow.

Remaining relevant and effective means buying into the
non-negotiable need for perpetual growth and development. It means becoming a
learning ninja.

What are learning ninjas?

You’ve seen them – or heard stories. Learning
ninjas are the people who adapt quickly and always seem to be one step
ahead. They seem to anticipate changes and stealthily prepare to support them.
They have a sixth sense for what they’ll need to know to be effective in the
future. They learn more rapidly, pivot more fluidly, and succeed more
frequently than others.

While this kind of ninja magic (which could also be
characterized as ‘learning agility’) appears effortless and natural to some,
it’s not an inborn trait. Rather, it’s a set of practices that anyone can adopt
and over time incorporate into their daily habits.

What learning ninjas do that make them awesome

Observing these 5 traits of #learning ninjas can help you become one yourself: @Julie_WG

Learning ninjas behave a little differently than the rest of us. Watch them and you’ll see that they consistently:

1. Demonstrate curiosity

Real ninjas survive based upon vigilance, a pervasive
attention to their environments and the threats that might present themselves. Learning
ninjas thrive based upon curiosity and an insatiable inquisitiveness about
how things are changing, what works (and doesn’t), and what might be possible.
They routinely explore the organization’s strategy, other disciplines, and best
practices with those inside and outside of their usual networks. They’re always
looking around the corner, asking ‘why?’ and ‘what if…?’

2. Welcome challenges

Throwing oneself into novel situations, difficult projects,
ambiguous operating conditions and complex interpersonal and organizational
dynamics is the surest way to promote rapid learning. Just doing more of what
you’re currently doing may offer incremental growth; but it won’t promote
positively disruptive steps forward or build the mental muscle associated with
learning agility. As a result, becoming a learning ninja means pressing beyond
comfort zones and recognizing the developmental
benefits that difficulty delivers.

3. Make decisions and take action despite incomplete information

Certainty is one of the mortal enemies of the learning
ninja. In today’s environment, it’s no
longer feasible to wait until all of the data is in to take action. Instead,
progress and continuous learning demand making peace with limited information
and honing the ability to balance risk with action. Will it always turn out
perfectly? Absolutely not. But waiting for perfect information given dynamic
business conditions could make for a very long wait, and, in the process,
thwart business objectives and the ability to learn.

4. Experiment, take risks, and live with failure

The reason learning ninjas can confidently take action in
the presence of imperfect information is because they aren’t afraid of failure.
They recognize that doing something different can be dangerous – and yet it’s
the surest
way to accelerate learning. Ninja learners let go of the need to be right
or look good in favor of experimenting, exploring and growing. They know that
failure is rarely fatal and have developed the resilience to fall, get up,
brush themselves off, and try again.

5. Hold knowledge and best practices lightly

Agile learning is based in large part upon the perpetual
ability to add appropriate new approaches, skills and practices. But, being
willing to let go of something that’s worked in the past is equally
important. Learning ninjas consistently assess their processes and their
results. They leverage what’s working today with the knowledge that tomorrow
they might have to abandon it in favor of something more effective.

Today’s business environment is fraught with dangers – from
disruptive market forces to global competitors to game-changing demographic and
environmental shifts. Protecting oneself and one’s organization demands the
ability not just to perform at ever-greater levels but to learn at an
ever-increasing pace. The workplace warrior who’ll win in this environment is
the learning ninja.

Linking Learning and Performance

Linking Learning and Performance

By Julie Winkle Giulioni

Julie has spent the past 25 years improving performance through learning. As co-founder and principal of DesignArounds, Julie leads multi-disciplinary teams that create award-winning electronic and instructor-led training. A sought-after speaker and consultant, Julie is co-author of the Amazon bestseller, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want. To learn more, connect with Julie online or visit www.juliewinklegiulioni.com.